CVE-2026-97185
Received Received - Intake

Heap-based Buffer Overflow in GIMP Image Editor

Publication date: 2026-09-24

Last updated on: 2026-09-24

Assigner: redhat-SADP

Description
A flaw was found in GIMP. When processing a specially crafted GIMPressionist preset file, the plug-in does not properly validate vector indices before writing into fixed-size arrays. This can lead to an out-of-bounds write, corrupting memory. An attacker could exploit this by convincing a user to load a malicious preset file, potentially causing a crash or enabling arbitrary code execution.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-24
Last Modified
2026-09-24
Generated
2026-09-24
AI Q&A
2026-09-24
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-97185
EUVD
EUVD-2026-85817

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
gnome gimp 3.2.6

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-787 The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write flaw in GIMP's GIMPressionist plug-in. When processing a specially crafted preset file, the plug-in fails to validate vector indices before writing into fixed-size arrays. This allows an attacker to corrupt memory by writing beyond the intended array bounds, potentially causing a crash or enabling arbitrary code execution.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is triggered when a user loads a malicious GIMPressionist preset file in GIMP. Detection involves checking for unusual GIMP crashes or memory corruption after loading preset files. Monitor GIMP logs for out-of-bounds write errors or crashes during preset file processing.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to crash GIMP or execute arbitrary code on your system. This means they might gain control over your computer, steal data, install malware, or perform other malicious actions within the context of your user account.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or data breaches, which may violate compliance requirements under GDPR or HIPAA. Organizations using GIMP may face legal penalties, reputational damage, or loss of certification if exploited due to insufficient input validation.

Mitigation Strategies

Avoid loading GIMPressionist preset files from untrusted sources. Update GIMP to a version where the bounds check has been added in the main branch. If an update is unavailable, refrain from using the GIMPressionist plug-in until a patch is released.

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